Board securing device

ABSTRACT

A board securing device for securing surfboards and other similar shaped boards. The board securing device includes a first portion arranged to engage over a first end of the board and a second portion arranged to engage over a second end of the board. An interconnecting means is provided to releasably connect the first portion to the second portion such that the first and second portions cannot be removed from the ends of the board. A locking means is also provided secured to the first portion such that the locking means can secure the first portion to a fixed object.

[0001] The present invention relates to a board securing device.

[0002] It is common for surfboards and other similar devices to be at risk of being stolen when left unattended. Surfboards are generally transported to and from the beach on roof racks fitted to vehicles. The boards are generally secured to the roof racks using material tie down straps or elastic ‘ocky straps’. Such securing devices are often easy to remove quickly and thus leave the board open to theft when unattended (for example, when the car is left temporarily in a shopping center car park with the board attached).

[0003] Securing boards to roof racks or any other object presents difficulties as the boards generally do not have any specific point suitable for connection to a locking device. Further, as the boards can be easily damaged, any locking system must therefore not place excess pressure on the surface of the board. The present invention attempts to provide a board securing device that overcomes, at least in part, the aforementioned problems.

[0004] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a board securing device comprising a first portion arranged to engage over a first end of a board, a second portion arranged to engage over a second end of the board, an interconnecting means arranged to releasably secure the first portion to the second portion and a securing means arranged to secure the first portion to a fixed object, wherein when the first portion is secured to the second portion, the first and second portions are not removable from the board.

[0005] The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0006]FIG. 1 is a side view of a board securing device in accordance with the present invention;

[0007]FIG. 1a is a side view of an extension piece for use with the board securing device of FIG. 1;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a side view of the board securing device of FIG. 1 shown securing a board to a set of roof racks;

[0009]FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment of a board securing device in accordance with the present invention; and

[0010]FIG. 4 is a side view of a spacer means of the board securing device of FIG. 3.

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a board securing device 10 including a first portion 12, a second portion 14, and an interconnecting means 16. The first portion 12 comprises a first flexible loop member 20. The second portion 14 comprises a second flexible loop member 22. The board securing device 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is designed to secure a commonly shaped board 24, wherein the width of the board 24 is greater adjacent the middle of the board than adjacent the longitudinal ends. The length of the first and second flexible loop members 20 and 22 is sufficient that each of the loop members 20 and 22 may be placed over a respective end of the board 24. Further, the length of the loop members 20 and 22 is such that the loop members 20 and 22 will not be able to slide past the relatively wider middle portion of the board 24.

[0012] The interconnecting means 16 comprises a first flexible elongate member 26 and a second flexible elongate member 28. The first flexible elongate member 26 is connected at a first end thereof to the first flexible loop member 20. The second flexible elongate member 28 is connected at a first end thereof to the second flexible loop member 22.

[0013] Each of the first and second flexible loop members 20 and 22 and first and second flexible elongate members 26 and 28 are composed of suitable material to resist cutting by most commonly available implements. Preferably the material would be flexible high tensile cable coated with a plastic based coating. Such cable is available in strengths which are resistant to cutting by devices such as bolt cutters. The coating of the wire would prevent damage to the board 24 by any movement or impact of the wire against the board 24.

[0014] The board securing device 10 further includes a first locking means 30. The first locking means 30 is adapted to secure second ends of the first and second flexible elongate members 26 and 28 to each other. The first locking means 30 may be in the form of a first lock portion 32 attached to the second end of first flexible elongate member 26 and a second lock portion 34 attached to the second end of the second flexible elongate member 28. The first and second locking portions 32 and 34 may be engageable with each other and securable by a combination type locking mechanism (as shown in the Figures) or by a key operated locking mechanism. Further, the first and second locking portions 32 and 34 would preferably be coated of suitable material to protect the board 24 should the locking portions 32 and 34 impact the board 24.

[0015] The lengths of the first and second flexible elongate members 26 and 28 would be such that when the second ends of the first and second flexible elongate members 20 and 22 are secured to each other by the first locking means 30, the first and second loop members 20 and 22 cannot be removed over the ends of the board 24.

[0016] The board securing device 10 includes a securing means 36 attached to the first portion 12. The securing means is arranged to be securable to a fixed object. The securing means 36 comprises a third flexible elongate member 38 attached adjacent the midpoint thereof to the first flexible loop member 20. The third flexible elongate member 38 further includes a second locking means 40 adapted to secure ends of the third flexible elongate member 38 to each other.

[0017]FIG. 1 a shows an extension piece 31 for use with the board securing device 10 of

[0018]FIG. 1. The extension piece 31 is used to extend the total length of the interconnecting means 16 to allow the board securing device 10 to be used on longer boards.

[0019] The extension piece 31 comprises a further flexible elongate member having a third lock portion 35 at one end and a fourth lock portion 33 at the other end. The third lock portion 35 is arranged to engage with the first lock portion 32 and the fourth lock portion 33 is arranged to engage with the second lock portion 34.

[0020]FIGS. 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment of the board securing device 10. This alternative embodiment is adapted to secure a board 42, such as a conventional long board, where the board 42 is not significantly wider adjacent the middle portion than adjacent the ends. In this embodiment, the board securing device 10 includes first and second end members 44 and 46. The first end member 44 is adapted to connect at a first end thereof to the first flexible loop member 20 adjacent a first side of the board 42. The first end member 44 then extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the board 42, over the adjacent end of the board and is connected at a second end thereof to the first flexible loop member 20 adjacent a second side of the board, as shown in FIG. 3. The second end member 46 is secured to the second flexible loop member 22 in the same manner. The first and second end members 44 and 46 prevent the board 42 from being slid out of the loop members 20 and 22 once secured.

[0021] Preferably, the end members 44 and 46 would each be in the form of two cables 54 and 56 running generally parallel over the end of the board 42 as shown in FIG. 3. A plurality of spacer members 48 would be provided to generally maintain the spacing between the two cables 54 and 56. Each spacer member 48 comprises a rigid member 50 having an aperture 52 at each end for receiving the cables 54 and 56, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0022] In use, the board securing means 10 is attached to the board 24 to be secured by placing the first and second flexible loop members 20 and 22 over respective ends of the board 24. The first and second flexible elongate members 26 and 28 are then secured together by the first locking means 30, preventing removal of the first and second flexible loop members 20 and 22 from the board 24.

[0023] The third flexible elongate member 38 is then looped around the object to which the board 24 is to be secured (for example the roof rack 18, as shown in FIG. 2). The ends of the third flexible elongate member 38 are then secured to each other by the second locking means 40, thus preventing removal of the board 24 from the object.

[0024] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. For example, one or both of the first and second loop members 20 and 22 may include a further locking means in a similar manner to the second locking means 40 of the securing means 36 to allow the loop to be broken. This may be required for example in the case where the loop will not slide far enough over the end of the board due to fins on the surfboard. The loop could then be broken in this case and reformed around the board in the desired location. 

The claims defining the invention are as follows:
 1. A board securing device comprising a first portion arranged to engage over a first end of a board, a second portion arranged to engage over a second end of the board, an interconnecting means arranged to releasably secure the first portion to the second portion and a securing means arranged to secure the first portion to a fixed object, wherein when the first portion is secured to the second portion, the first and second portions are not removable from the board
 2. A board securing device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a first loop member, the first loop member being dimensioned such that when the first loop member is engaged over the first end of the board the first loop member cannot slide past a relatively wider middle portion of the board and the second portion comprises a second loop member, the second loop member being dimensioned such that when the second loop member is engaged over the second end of the board the second loop member cannot slide past the relatively wider middle portion of the board.
 3. A board securing device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the interconnecting means comprises a first flexible elongate member and a second flexible elongate member, the first flexible elongate member being secured at a first end thereof the first loop member, the second flexible elongate member being secured at a first end thereof the second loop member and the second end of the first flexible elongate member being securable to the second end of the second flexible elongate member.
 4. A board securing device in accordance with claim 3 , wherein a first locking means is provided to connect the second end of the first flexible elongate member to the second end of the second flexible elongate member.
 5. A board securing device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the securing means comprises a third flexible elongate member, the third flexible elongate member including a second locking means arranged to allow first and second ends of the third flexible elongate member to be locked together and the third flexible elongate member being secured to the first flexible elongate member at a point intermediate the first and second ends thereof
 6. A board securing device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein one or both of the first and second loop members includes a further locking means, the further locking means being arranged to allow the respective loop member to be broken in order to engage over the respective end of the board.
 7. A board securing device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second portions includes at least one end member, the or each end member connecting between a point on the respective portion adjacent a first side of the board and a point on the respective portion adjacent a second side of the board in use, the end member being arranged to run over the respective end of the board.
 8. A board securing device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the first portion comprises a first loop member and the second portion comprises a second loop member.
 9. A board securing device in accordance with claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second loop members is provided with two end members, the two end members being held apart by spacer members. 